Collapsible core



F. D. MASON.

COLLAPSI BLE pom-i. APPL lCATl0N FILED DEC- 1, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 429 957 PatentedSept. 26, 1922..

f I anomitoz F. D. MASON..

' COLLAPSIBLE CORE;

I APPLICATION man 050.1. 1920. H 1,429,957, v Patentedsept. 26, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F. D. MASON.

COLLAPSIBLE CORE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- I. 1920 Patented 26 2 v v Roz/mu I NlTl-lll) STATES FATE Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

OFFlCEr c FREEMAN D. MASON, OF STOW TOWNSHIP. SUMMIT COUNTY OHIO, A$SIGNOR TO BRIDG-EWATER MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

COLLAZPSIBLE 003E.

Application filed December 1, 1920. Serial No. 427,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREEMAN D. MAsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stow Township, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Cores, of which the following is a specific'ation.

This invention relates generally to a new and improved means for detachably securing abutting members in assembled relation and has particular relation to certain new and useful improvements in cores for manufacturing pneumatic tires.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a core of the class above described, which is made up of a plurality of separable sections and to provide a new and improved means for holding and locking the several sections of which the core is composed in assembled annular relation.

An object is to providea simple, highly efficient means whereby a thing composed oi separable sections may be quicklyassembled and firmly held in assembled relation and which may be quickly and easily taken apart when desired.

A particular object is to provide attire building and vulcanizing core of simple,

economical construction, which may be quickly and easily assembled and as quickly and easily collapsed and which when sembled will provide a rigid annulus adapted to impart a desired configuration to the interior of a pneumatic tire casing.

An additional object is to provide a fastening means for the several parts of a core or other article composed of separable sections which will possess great durability and which in use will securely and rigidly hold the several sections in perfect alinement even after a long period of continued use.

The aboveobjects are accomplished and additional ends are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown a preferred embodiment of the in-' .face of a pneumatic tire casing.

within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings in which similar numerals of reference have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tire building core constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the side plate and locking cylinder employed to hold the several parts of the core in assembled relation. c

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the sections composing the core.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a section adapted to mate with the section shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lookin device shown in Figure 2.

*igure, 6 is a side elevation of a portion of a core constructedin accordance with this invention and illustrating particularly the manner of positioning the locking device preparatory to securing two sections in assembled relation. I

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a portion of core showing two sections locked in assembled relation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a core constructed in accordance with this invention preferably comprises a plurality of sections, 10, ll, 12 and 13 which are adapted. when secured in end to end abutment, to form an annulus, the peripheral and lateral. faces of which conform in shape to the contour of the interior sur- Each of said sections isprovided withan inwardly projecting flange which, when the said sections are secured in assembled relation, c0nstitute an inwardly prO ecting, circumferentially extending, radial flange 14. The core is provided with one or more wedgeshaped sections, such as the section 12 which is constructed with its end faces oblique to a radius of the core so that it may be moved D inwardly and radially to collapse the annulus thus formed.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings I have provided but one wedge-shaped section 12, the line of juncture between the sections 13 and 10 and between the sections 11 and 10 being formed on a line running with a radius of the core.

Each section is provided at each end with a flat bloclelike projection 15 which extends outwardly from eachlateralface of the flange 14 so as to form, in conjunction with a similar projection on an abutting section, a projecting block of keystone-like shape. liach projection 15 is integral with the sec t-ion on which it is formed and has a relatively wide base 16 which projects laterally on a line with the inner circumferential edge of the flange 14. Each projection 15 is formed with an under out side wall 17 wvliicli projects from the lateral face of the flange 14 at an acute angle thereto. The said side wall 17 of each projection 15 are also oblique to a radius of the core so that abutting bloclelike projections 15 form a block with sides 17 which converge outwardly and away from the center of the core and consequently form a block which is comparatively narrow at its outer edge 18.

It will thus be seen that the flange 14 is materially thicker at and adjacent each end of each section. Each end of each flange 14 is provided with a laterally directed groove 19 which extends thereacross in parallel. spaced relation to the inner circumferential edge thereof. The groove 19 is of semi-circular cross-section and is arranged therein so that the grooves 19 on two abutting sections will. form a laterally extending, cylindrical bore when the sections are in assembled relation. The said grooves 19 form a seat adapted to receive the cylindrical member 20. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the cylinder 20 is attached to the side plate 23 as hereinafter set forth. but it is to be understood that it may be used. as well, without being so attached and as a matter of convenience it maybe rotatably attached to one of the separable sections. The main body of the cylinder 20 terminates flush with the lateral faces of the block-like projections 15 and it is provided with a relatively small cylinder 21 which projects eccentrically from each end thereof. One of the ends of each cylindrical projection 21 is provided with a socket 22 adapted to receive a key-wrench or similar tool which may be inserted therein for the purpose of imparting a rotary movement to the cylinder 20. The numeral 23 denotes a locking plate of keystone-like shape which is provided on its opposite converging sides with a flange 2'") which projects from one side thereof as shown in Figures 2, 7 and 5. The outer edge 26 of the flange is flush with the converging sides of the plate 23, while the inner faces 27 of said flanges 25 are disposed at an acute angle to the main body of the plate 23. It will thus be seen that the two flanges form a dovetail-like cavity adapted to receive the projecting joint block formed by the abutting projections 15. Eaclrplate 23 is provided with a centrally positloned, circular opening 24 which is of substantially the same diameter as the cylinder 20. The cylinder 20 is preferably secured to one of the plates by placing the projecting portion 21 through the opening 24 and securing the disk 28 rigidly to the end thereof. The disk 28 is larger than the opening 24 and it is secured to the end of said projecting portion 21 so as to be coaxial with the cylinder 20. The plate 23 is provided with an opening which coincides with the socket 22 in the end of the projecting portion 21.

In practice, the various sections comprising the core are assembled in end to end abutment, the rotary member 20 and the side plate 23 that is attached thereto being in the position shown in Figure 6. A plate 23 is then placed on the other side of the flange 14 and over each pair of abutting projections 15 with the eccentric portion 21 of the cylinder 20 projecting through the opening 24 in said plate. In. this position, the beveled edges 27 of the flanges 25 are parallel with the beveled edges 17 of the block-like projections 15 and a downward movement of the plate 23 will cause said flanges to interlock with the beveled edges of the projections 15. lVhile the opening 24 and the cylinder 20 are of approximately the same diameter, the opening 24 does not .coincide with said cylinder when positioned thereon. as above set forth, as will be seen by an examination of Figure 6 in which the line 24 represents the circumference of the opening 24. A key-wrench or other suitable instrument is inserted in the squared socket 22 and the cylinder is given a rotary movement in either direction, whereupon the outer circumferential edge of the projecting portion 21 will be brought into contact with the edge of the opening 24 and the plate 23 will be moved toward the center of the core to the position shown in Figure 8, causing the flanges 25 to interlock with the projecting portions 15 and forcing the core sections into perfect alinement. thus rigidly securing the same in assembledrelation.

In use, a tire casing is then built up on the annular mandrel thus formed and the casing is subjected to the various operations necessary to its manufacture. To remove the core. the key-wrench is inserted in the socket 22 and the cylinder 20 is given a rotary movement to the position shown in Figure 6.

The plates 23 and the cylinders 20 are then removed and the wedge-like section 12 is taken from the casing, whereupon the remaining sections may be easily'removed,

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in a collapsible core, it will be obvious that any article composed of separable sections may be similarly secured in assembled relation.

It will also be understood that each of the projections 15 may be formed with its undercut edges 17 diverging outwardly and radially in which form the narrow end of the wedge, formed by the abutting projections 15. would be flush with the inner circumferential edge of the flange 14. Each of said wedges would thus be in an inverted position from that shown in the drawings and the plate 23 would. be moved outwardly and radially to bring it into interlocking engagement with said projections 15.

Having thus described my invention and described its operation, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. A core of the class described, comprising an annulus composed of separable sections. each section provided with an inwardly projecting flange, a block projecting laterally from each side of each flange at each end of each section, one edge of each block being in alinement with the abutting end of the section, the opposite edge of each block having a face lying at an acute angle to the face of the flange and being disposed obliquely to the corresponding edge of the block on the abutting section so as to form in conjunction therewith a wedge, a locking plate having a cavity adapted to snugly receive said wedge and means mounted between the abutting ends of said sections and arranged to engage said plates and hold the same into interlocking engagement with said wedge.

2. A collapsible core of the character described, comprising a plurality of separable sections adapted to abut in the form of an annulus, a block projecting from each side of each end of each section, one edge of each block being in alinement with the abutting end of the section from which it projects, the opposite edge of each block being undercut and disposed obliquely to the correspond ing edge of the block on the abutting section so as to form in conjunction therewith a wedge shaped projection and a locking plate having a cavity adapted to fit over each of said projections and means to force and hold said plate into interlocking engagement with said projections.

3. In an article composed of separable sections, an integral block projecting from each side of each section, one edge of each block being in alinement with the abutting'end of the section, the opposite edge of each block being undercut and disposed obliquely to the 4:. In an article composed of separable sections, a block-projecting from each side of the abutting end of each section, one edge of each block being in alinement with the abutting end of the section, the opposite edge of each block being undercut and disposed obliquely to the corresponding edge of the block on the abutting section so as to form in conjunction therewith a wedge, a groove of semicircular cross section extending laterally across each end of each section so as to form a cylindrical bore between abutting sections, a cylinder rotatably mounted in each bore, each cylinder provided on each end with a portion which projects eccentrically therefrom and extends beyond the said blocks, a locking plate having a cavity adapted to fit over each of the wedges formed as aforesaid, said locking plate having a centrally positioned aperture therethrough so that the projecting portion of said. cylinder will extend therethrough when the plate is positioned on said wedge and means to rotate said cylinder and cause said projecting portion to be brought into forced contact with said plate.

5. A collapsible core of the character described comprising a plurality of separable sections adapted to abut in the form of an annulus, each section provided with an inwardly projecting flange, a block projecting from each side of said flange, at each end of said section. one edge of each block being in alinement with the abutting end of the section, the opposite edge of each block being undercut and disposed obliquely to the cor responding edge of the block on the abutting section so as to form in conjunction therewith a. wedge, a groove of semi-circular cross section extending laterally across each end of each flange so as to form a cylindrical bore between abutting sections, a cylinder rotatably mounted in each bore. each cylinder provided on each end with a portion which projects eccentrically therefrom and extends beyond the said blocks; a locking plate having a cavity adapted to snugly fit over each of the wedges formed as aforesaid, said locking plate provided with a centrally positioned aperture which is positioned on said flange and means to impart a rotary movement to said cylinder substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. A collapsible core of the character described comprising a plurality of separable sections, adapted to abut in the form of an annulus, locking lugs projecting from each side of each section adjacent each end thereof, each lug having an undercut face which diverges from the similar face of the adjacent lug on an abutting section, a locking plate having a cavity adapted to receive the said lugs and engage the opposite edges thereof and means to force and hold said plate into interlocking engagement with said. lugs. 10

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREEMAN D. MASON. 

